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Vegetable Gardening

The Cuke: my inexplicable garden nemesis.

johnny_pitchfork

10 years ago

I don't know what the deal is - but this seems to happen to my cukes every year: yellowing leaves, crispy edges, slow growth.

What am I doing wrong? Too much water? Too much fertilizer? A disease that likes my garden? The cucumber gods hate me?

Thanks for any tips.

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Comments (6)

jadie88
10 years ago
Do they ever "grow out of it?" Mine tend to get fungal diseases of some form or other early on, then soldier on and do okay in the end. I have heard spraying with baking soda in water helps keep mildew at bay, but never have tried it.
jean001a
10 years ago
Look stressed to me, but to know from what, we need considerable info from you.

In order for us to tell you what might be wrong, we need to know what you're doing.

start w/the following then add anything else you can think of:
- in the ground or pots?
- how did you prep the garden soil?
- if in pots, what did you use to fill the pots?
- how do you decide when to water?
- how do you decide you've added enuf water?
- what is your irrigation system? Hand water? Sprinkler? Drip? soaker?
- please continue from there.
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johnny_pitchfork
Original Author
10 years ago
- in the ground or pots?

Very large pots - one plant per container.

- if in pots, what did you use to fill the pots?

Equal mix of garden soil, compost, peat moss and vermiculite.

Drainage is decent - but not too rapid.

- how do you decide when to water?

Usually once or twice a week, depending on the weather.

- how do you decide you've added enuf water?

I poke around a bit off to the side (to avoid their shallow roots) - if the soil is slightly moist an inch from the top, I usually wait to water.

- what is your irrigation system? Hand water? Sprinkler? Drip? soaker?

I hand water.

- please continue from there.

I fertilized at transplant, and again a month later (a week ago from when this photograph was taken).

There's been no rain and the heat has been mild.

I'm growing disease resistant "Cool Breeze" varietal suited to Northern CA microclimates.

They get 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.
hidesertca
10 years ago
Glad I am not alone. My squash and melon plants are setting fruit and my cucumber plants are growing extremely slow. They've been growing 2 months and they are just now barely starting to vine out. I think for me I planted them too early and some nights we had a while back in the low 40's and high 30's really set them back a lot.
pnbrown
10 years ago
I also find that cucumber is a fussy plant. I am attempting more of them than usual this year, in different situations, maybe I'll learn something about what they prefer.
mandolls
10 years ago
Last year there were by far more posts about cucumber problems on this forum that anything else.

They are obviously a bit trickier than most of the other vegetables. I certainly get more fungus/disease problems with mine than anything else I have tried to grow.

My first year with them was by far the best and I have been hoping to repeat that for the past 4 years.

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